Xu Shichang

In this Chinese name, the family name is Xu (Hsu).
Xu Shichang
徐世昌
President of the Republic of China
In office
10 October 1918 – 2 June 1922
PremierQian Nengxun
Gong Xinzhan (acting)
Jin Yunpeng
Yan Huiqing (acting)
Sa Zhenbing (acting)
Liang Shiyi
Zhou Ziqi (acting)
Preceded byFeng Guozhang
Succeeded byZhou Ziqi
Premier of the Republic of China
In office
22 March – 23 April 1916
PresidentYuan Shikai
Preceded byLu Zhengxiang (as Prime Minister of the Empire of China)
Succeeded byDuan Qirui
In office
1 May 1914 – 22 December 1915
PresidentYuan Shikai
Preceded bySun Baoqi (acting)
Succeeded byLu Zhengxiang (as Prime Minister of the Empire of China)
Imperial offices
1st Minister of the Cabinet
of the Imperial Cabinet
In office
8 May – 1 November 1911
Serving with Natong
MonarchXuantong Emperor
Prime MinisterYikuang, Prince Qing
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Grand Councilor
In office
1905–1906
Grand Secretary of the Tiren Library
In office
17 August 1910 – 5 August 1911
Assistant Grand Secretary
In office
January – 5 August 1911
5th Minister of Mail and Communications
In office
9 February 1909 – 17 August 1910
MonarchXuantong Emperor
Preceded byChen Bi
Succeeded byTang Shaoyi
1st Viceroy of the Three Eastern Provinces
In office
12 June 1907 – 8 February 1909
MonarchXuantong Emperor
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byXiliang
Personal details
Born(1855-10-20)20 October 1855
Weihui, Henan, Qing China
Died5 June 1939(1939-06-05) (aged 83)
British concession of Tianjin, Tianjin, Republic of China
Political partyAnfu Club
Other political
affiliations		Anhui clique
Educationjinshi degree in Imperial examination (1886)
Signature

Xu Shichang (Chinese: 徐世昌; pinyin: Xú Shìchāng; Wade–Giles: Hsü2Shih4-ch'ang1; courtesy name Juren (Chinese: 菊人; pinyin: Júrén; Wade–Giles: Chu-jen); 20 October 1855 – 5 June 1939) was a Chinese politician who served as the President of the Republic of China from 10 October 1918 to 2 June 1922. A member of the Anhui clique, he was the only permanent president of the Beiyang government to be a civilian; his presidency was also the longest of the Warlord Era. Previously, he was Minister of the Cabinet of the Imperial Cabinet during the Qing dynasty.

Biography

Xu Shichang's ancestral hometown was Yinxian County (current Yinzhou District), Ningbo, Zhejiang. Born in Weihui, Henan, he was Yuan Shikai's closest friend. He was at one time the Viceroy of the Three Northeast Provinces, served as minister of the cabinet in Prince Qing's Cabinet, and tutored the final Qing Emperor, Puyi.[1] At the end of the Qing dynasty, Xu was made chief of the general staff despite being a civilian. Following the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the Republic of China, he was appointed minister of state by Yuan Shikai in 1912, as the latter hoped that this would appease the pro-Qing Royalist Party.[1] Xu resigned as secretary of state (premier) in protest of Yuan's self-proclaimed monarchy in late 1915. He resumed his post after Yuan abandoned monarchism on 22 March 1916.[2]

His election as president was largely engineered by Duan Qirui and his Anhui clique. He was chosen because he was a civilian yet had close ties to the Beiyang Army and was neutral to both its Zhili and Anhui cliques. Lacking any military power of his own, he had to play Duan, Zhili leader Cao Kun, and Fengtian leader Zhang Zuolin against each other to stay in power.

Xu believed the monarchy would eventually be restored, and to prepare Puyi for the challenges of the modern world had hired Reginald Johnston to teach Puyi "subjects such as political science, constitutional history and English".[3]

He held a massive celebration in Beijing for China's victory in World War I on 18 November 1918. However, he then brought troops into the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. A ceasefire with Sun Yat-sen's rival Constitutional Protection Junta based in Guangzhou was declared and intellectuals were given greater freedom. This lasted until news from France revealed that Duan Qirui had promised former German territory in Shandong to Japan. Large student protests in the May Fourth Movement led to Xu cracking down with mass arrests. Ma Jun (馬駿), a Muslim, led protests against the Versailles Treaty.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The delegation was ordered home and China refused to sign or ratify the Treaty of Versailles. Consequently, the shaky alliance between the Zhili and Anhui cliques collapsed with Duan decisively defeated. This led to the era of high warlordism. Conflict with the anti-Beiyang movements in Southern China flared again in 1920, and he also failed to retake Outer Mongolia. Cao Kun, who never liked Xu, pressured him out of office and restored Li Yuanhong.

Xu retired from politics and moved to the British concession in Tianjin, where he died on 5 June 1939 at the age of 83.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ a b Chi (1970), p. 63.
  2. ^ "REPUBLIC DISPLACES MONARCHY IN CHINA; Yuan Shih-kai Decides to Reject Imperial Post and Resumes the Presidency". The New York Times. 1916-03-23. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  3. ^ Li, Kay. ""Saint Joan" From A Chinese Perspective: Shaw and the Last Emperor, Henry Pu-Yi Aisin-Gioro". Shaw. 29 (2009): 113.
  4. ^ Aliya Ma Lynn (1 August 2007). Muslims in China. University Press. ISBN 978-0-88093-861-7.
  5. ^ "Info". hzwxzzs.com. Archived from the original on 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  6. ^ 北京李大钊故居研究室 (9 June 2015). 李大钊北京十年（交往篇）. 中央编译局. pp. 149–. GGKEY:5GWR5PC215D.
  7. ^ "英勇的回族英雄——马骏--黑龙江频道--人民网". hlj.people.com.cn. Archived from the original on 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  8. ^ "馬駿 - 英烈紀念堂 - 中國軍網". www.81.cn.
  9. ^ "马骏 - 英烈纪念堂 - 中国军网". www.81.cn.
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ [2]
  12. ^ "回族烈士马骏_中国论文网". Archived from the original on 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  13. ^ "HSU SHIH-CHANG; President of Chinese Republic From 1918 to 1922 Was 81". 1939-06-07. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
  14. ^ "民國近代史". digroc.pccu.edu.tw. Retrieved 2025-08-09.

Sources

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